Brief statement of the problem Hispanic and Latino populations are not being provided with adequate mental health care and are an underserved population (Peters, Sawyer, & Guzman, 2014). There are several barriers, cultural and other, that prevent and dissuade Hispanic and Latino individuals from seeking mental health care (The Pew Charitable Trusts, 2015). Lack of bi-lingual providers is one of the many obstacles this population is faced with. Details of the problem A large minority population: • According to the U.S. 2010 Census, 16% of the total population was of Hispanic or Latino decent. • Latino and Hispanics are the largest growing minority in the nation (US Census Bureau, 2012). • In 2010, 36% of the total Latino and Hispanic population …show more content…
population (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2016). Common mental health disorders that face this population include anxiety disorders, major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and alcoholism. Also, Latina and Hispanic adolescent girls have high rates of suicide attempts. Without treatment, these conditions can worsen and become disabling and potentially life threatening. Even though Latino and Hispanic communities have similar susceptibility to mental health illnesses compared to the general population, the community is less likely to seek mental health care. Only 10% of the Latino and Hispanic population in the U.S. contacted a mental health care provider this past year. In order to reach this underserved community, counseling as a field has to work diligently to provide linguistically and culturally competent providers (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2016). Recommended solution In order to increase the amount of bilingual counselors, more Spanish speaking individuals need to be encouraged to pursue advanced mental health care degrees (Trepal, et al., 2014). Counselors who want to offer bilingual services should pursue bilingual supervision, enroll in cultural classes, and seek training regarding bilingual therapy and counseling. Also, University and college counseling programs should offer courses on bilingual assessment methods, cultural norms and traditions, and bilingual psychotherapy skills (Trepal, et al., 2014). Support for